PlanetCatfish.com - Sturisomatichthys panamensis (Loricariidae) Cat-eLog

Wild caught at locality shown
Southern Panama
Close-up of head-Southern Panama
Habitat: Rio Ipeti: Panama

Cat-eLog Data Sheet
Scientific Name	**Sturisomatichthys panamensis** (Eigenmann & Eigenmann, 1889)
Common Names	Royal Twig Catfish Panama-Bartwels (Germany), Panama-størsugemalle (Denmark)
Type Locality	Panama.
Synonym(s)	Loricaria panamensis
Etymology	(German)Sturio=Sturgeon + (Greek) soma=body + (Greek) -ichthys=fish. The specific epithet is for the species country of origin, Panama.
Species Information
Size	200mm or 7.9" SL. Find near, nearer or same sized spp.
Identification	Sturisoma and Sturisomatichthys can be difficult to tell apart. Older descriptions of the genera emphasized the length of the snout (elongated in Sturisoma), but this trait is not reliable across species. Recent analyses allow discrimination based on the abdominal plates, fin colors and lateral plates: Sturisoma has its central abdominal plates arranged in three clearly-defined longitudinal series; all fins (except sometimes pectoral fins) lack dark spots; and 20–21 lateral plates in median series. Sturisomatichthys has its central abdominal plates less organized, not arranged in clearly-defined longitudinal series; dark spots usually present on one or more of the dorsal-, pectoral-, pelvic, or anal-fins; and 15–18 lateral plates in median series. Furthermore, to date all Sturisoma are cis-Andean; most (but not all) Sturisomatichthys are trans-Andean. Another elegant species confused with S. festivum (and thus S. aureum). This species can be distinguished by the fins which, while spectacular, do not have the trailing extensions of S. festivum.
General Remarks	In the wild this species can be found in a water temperature of about 25°C, pH 7.4 and in strong current.
Habitat Information
Distribution	Central and South America: Pacific slope rivers of Panama, Colombia, and Ecuador; Caribbean slope rivers of Colombia. Panama Pacific Rivers (click on these areas to find other species found there) Colombia Caribbean Rivers (click on these areas to find other species found there) Colombia Pacific Rivers (click on these areas to find other species found there) Ecuador Pacific Coast Rivers (click on these areas to find other species found there) Login to view the map.
IUCN Red List Category	Least Concern , range map and more is available on the IUCN species page. Last assessed 2019.
pH	6.5 - 7.2
Temperature	26.0-29.0°C or 78.8-84.2°F (Show species within this range)
Husbandry Information
Breeding	Unreported.
Breeding Reports	There is no breeding report.
Further Information
Reference	Proceedings of the California Academy of Sciences (Series 2) v. 2, pp34.
Registered Keepers	There is no registered keeper.
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Spotters	Spotted this species somewhere? Click the binoculars! There is but a single record of this fish being seen, view it.
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	LFS label creator ARN ref:1.4.48.289
Last Update	2025 Jan 02 01:38 (species record created: 2001 Apr 29 00:00)